1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to hair-dressing apparatus, and more particularly to a hand-held plunger type applicator for applying viscous compositions to the hair and has a hair-parting wand on the end opposite the applicator nozzle.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
Many hair treatment compositions, particularly hair relaxers, produce adverse side effects if not properly applied. Care must be taken so as not to allow direct contact of the solution to the scalp. Hair relaxer solutions contain sodium hydroxide and other chemicals which will cause chemical burns to the scalp and discomfort to the patron. Skill is required in applying the proper quantity of solution to the new growth of hair located close to the scalp without actualy contacting the scalp, and spreading it evenly to the remaining parts of the hair. The hair can be damaged by "over processing" if too much solution is applied or the solution is not smoothly overlapped into the previously treated portions of the hair.
Prior art methods of applying hair gels and pastes such as hair relaxers include the practice of wearing a rubber glove and scooping the solution from a jar by hand, then applying it and smoothing it with the fingers. Another method is dipping a rattail comb or brush into the jar and using the tail of the comb or bristles of the brush to apply and smooth the solution.
Applicators for applying hair treatment solutions to the hair or scalp are known in the art and there are several patents which disclose applicators of various construction which do not allow the precise control and utilitity provided by the combination of features of the present invention.
The "squeeze bottle" and bulb type applicators are unsatisfactory because they require repeated manual compression of the container or bulb resulting in fatigue of the hands of the hairdresser, especially if dispensing a viscous solution. Devices which have a parting-wand on the same end of the applicator nozzle are unsatisfactory because the wand will be constantly interferring with the nozzle and vice-versa. They are also prone to accidental dripping the hair treatment solution onto the scalp from the nozzle when working the hair with the wand.
Roppatte, Jr., U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,354,572 and 4,354,512 are hair applicator devices which utilize a squeeze bottle. There is no plunger and a hair-parting wand is provided on the same end as the applicator nozzle and extends angularly relative thereto. This device recognizes the problem of the applicator nozzle and the wand interferring with one another in use and attempts to solve it by angularly separating the tip of the wand from the nozzle by a distance of from 2 to 5 inches.
Stanford, U.S. Pat. No. 2,956,570 and Battle, U.S. Pat. No. 2,299,295 disclose hair applicator devices which also utilizes a squeeze bottle. There is no plunger and the hair-parting wand is on the same end as the applicator and is placed in front of the applicator.
Sayer, U.S. Pat. No. 2,895,486 also uses a squeeze bottle. There is no plunger and the hair parting wand is on the same end as the applicator and is placed parallel to the applicator.
Wela, German Patent 3,013,769 discloses still another hair applicator utilizing a squeeze bottle. There is no plunger and the hair-parting wand is on the same end as the applicator. The applicator surrounds the hair-parting wand and has a comb on one side and bristles on another side.
Lawrence, U.S. Pat. No. 2,895,486 uses a squeeze bulb to apply a solution. There is no plunger and the hair parting wand is on the same end as the applicator and is placed parallel to the applicator.
Herfert, U.S. Pat. No. 712,530, Canadian Patent 494,751, and French Patent 7,361 disclose curry combs and hair combs which do not have a hair-parting wand and utilize a plunger to suck water into the instrument.
Cochran, U.S. Pat. No. 4,294,270 discloses a comb having a manifold backbone which is screwed on to a squeeze bottle reservoir and is angularly disposed relative thereto. There is no plunger and no hair parting wand.
Shipp, U.S. Pat. No. 4,310,009 discloses a screw-on comb applicator structure having hollow teeth and a baffle for equalizing the flow of fluid to each of the hollow teeth.
The present invention is distinguished over the prior art in general, and these patents in particular by a hand-held colloidal solution applicator particularly suited for applying relatively viscous solutions such as gels and pastes to the hair which comprises a generally cylindrical rigid container for receiving the hair treating solution and has opposed externally threaded ends. A comb-like applicator nozzle is threadedly received on one end of the container for properly placing and distributing the solution and a non-dispensing hair-parting wand having a cap portion is threadedly received on the other end of the container opposite the applicator end and has a central opening through the cap portion end wall. The hair-parting wand extends outwardly from the cap portion end wall parallel to the longitudinal axis of the container and is laterally offset from the central opening. A dispensing plunger has a shaft portion extending slidably through the central opening with a piston at one end disposed within the container and the outwardly extending end of the shaft portion receives the thumb of the operator for sliding the piston within the container to force the solution through the applicator nozzle. The thumb operated piston feature reduces hand fatigue of the operator while giving precise control over the work, and having the hair-parting wand and dispensing nozzle at opposite ends of the applicator eliminates the problems of accidental dripping of the contents onto the scalp or hair and the wand constantly interferring with the nozzle and vice-versa.